Works for Orchestra
At Levande musikarv/Swedish Musical Heritage you will find a wide range of the best Swedish orchestral music. Symphonies, solo concertos, orchestral songs, cantatas and melodramas. Follow the links to read more about the works and download the sheet music editions. For many of the works there are also links to recordings on Youtube or Spotify.
Aulin, Tor (1866-1914)
Tor Aulin was born on 10 September 1866 in Stockholm and died in the nearby coastal resort of Saltsjöbaden on 1 March 1914. He was the most prominent violinist of his time in Sweden, one of the foremost conductors and a champion of chamber music. His oeuvre contains three concertante works for violin and orchestra, incidental music, songs and chamber music. In 1887 he formed the Aulin Quartet. Between 1889 and 1902 he was concert master for the Royal Court Orchestra, after which he formed and led numerous ensembles, including the Swedish Musicians' Society Orchestra (1900), the Stockholm Concert Society (1902−09), the orchestra of the Royal Dramatic Theatre (1907–09) and the Southern Sweden Philharmonic Society (1907−08). He was conductor of the Gothenburg Orchestra Society from 1909 to 1911.
Violin Concerto no 1/ Concert piece for Violin and Orchestra (G-minor), opus 7
Duration: 17 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp / str
Gävle symfoniorkester, Tobias Ringborg, conductor: Niklas Willén
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdMeH3I7o5k
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Ulf Wallin, conductor: Andrew Manze
https://open.spotify.com/album/3H4xoOFxYc4RYnCF2UbKvY
Violin Concerto no. 3
Duration: 33 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 2.2.0.0 / timp / str
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Ulf Wallin, conductor: Andrew Manze
https://open.spotify.com/album/3H4xoOFxYc4RYnCF2UbKvY
Music to Strindberg's drama Meister Olof
Duration: 30 min
Instrumentation: 2*.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp, 4 perc / str, (picc)
Hovkapellet/the Royal Orchestra, conductor: Eri Klas
https://open.spotify.com/album/3pczLo4nTYnnkvY4uSZikm?uid=ec96b0a2132ec7ec6f70&uri=spotify%3Atrack%3A7oPpGkBcrmTqBC6ClKH30B&highlight=spotify%3Atrack%3A7oPpGkBcrmTqBC6ClKH30B
Aulin, Valborg (1860-1928)
Valborg Aulin was born on 9 January 1860 in Gävle, and died on 13 March 1928. She had a significant career as a composer in her hometown of Stockholm, which was interrupted in 1903 when she moved to Örebro to work as a music teacher. During her active years as a composer, she had numerous works published and performed. With a good education and heavily influenced by her musical upbringing, she wrote music that was much appreciated during her lifetime: mostly works for home and the salon, which, although influenced by French music, still belongs within the Scandinavian tradition.
Pie Jesu Domine, Missa sollemnis
Duration: Approx. 15-20 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 2.2.3.0 / timp / str
Mixed choir, S.S.A.A.T.T.B.B.
Brendler, Edouard (1800-1831)
Frans Fredric Eduard Brendler, born in Dresden on 4 November 1800 and died on 16 August 1831 in Stockholm, was for a short period during the 1820s the most promising composer in Stockholm's post-Gustavian music scene. After debuting with a series of piano pieces and songs, he had his breakthrough in 1830 with the oratorio, Spastaras död. In 1831 Brendler began composing the opera Ryno, however, his untimely death interrupted work on the piece that was then completed by Prince Oscar.
Divertissement pour le Basson avec accompagnement de l'Orchestre [B-dur]
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min
Instrumentation: 2.0.2.0 / 2.0.0.0 / timp / str
Göteborgssymfonikerna, Andreas Engström, conductor: Thord Svedlund
https://open.spotify.com/album/5uRdxQwceSOukMOlClruuc?highlight=spotify:track:46DgmekmiMOlCHzcTnya36
Spastara's death (melodrama)
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min.
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 2.2.3**.0 / timp / str, (alto tbn, bass tbn)
Soloröster: ej angivet (trol 1 manlig och 1 kvinnlig talröst)
Kör: S.A.T.B.
Oscar Byström (1821−1909)
Oscar Fredrik Bernadotte Byström was born on 13 October 1821 in Stockholm and died on 22 July 1909 in Spillersboda, Frötuna. He was a soldier, pianist, organist, conductor, composer and hymn tune researcher. He ran a piano and a singing institute in Stockholm. Music reviewer on the journal Bore 1850–51. Inspector of the Royal Conservatory of Music 1866−72. Director of the Musical Society of Turku (Åbo, Finland) 1872−94. During the 1880s and 1890s he toured and wrote extensively, pleading the cause of earlier church music with Gregorian roots and of traditional hymn tunes.
Symphony in D-minor
Duration: Ca. 20-25 min
Instrumentation: 2*.2.2.2 / 4.2.3*.0 / timp, hp / str
(picc, bass tbn)
Gävle Symphony Orchestra, dir Carlos Spierer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTcXXbAFBr0&list=PLBUm3y68NP2kM-Y3Ru80SRGfOzH1vHRzO&index=4
Crusell, Bernhard (1775-1833)
Berndt (Bernhard) Henrik Crusell was born 15 October 1775 in Uusikaupunki in Finland (then part of Sweden), and died in Stockholm on 28 July 1838. He was principal clarinettist in the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm 1793−1833, and often performed as a soloist and chamber musician. He became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1801, and from 1818 onwards he conducted military music in Linköping every summer. Crusell composed concertos for clarinet and other wind instruments, chamber music, a comic opera, small format vocal music and music for military orchestras, and translated ten operas into Swedish.
Concertino [B-flat major, for bassoon and orchestra]
Duration: Approx. 15-20 min
Instrumentation: 1.2.2.2 / 2.2.0.0 / timp / str
Tapiola sinfonietta, conductor: Osmo Vänskä
https://open.spotify.com/album/6AZBc2AzkRXdqgFwfDC8hy
Dente, Joseph (1838-1905)
Joseph Dente, born in Stockholm 23 January 1838 and died 24 May 1905 (also in Stockholm). Dente was employed as a violinist with the Royal Court Orchestra from 1853 and then as a conductor at the Royal Opera (second chief conductor from 1872, chief conductor 1879−85). Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1870. Teacher of counterpoint, composition and orchestration at the Royal Conservatory of Music 1882−1903. Dente was a versatile composer, and included among his published works are chamber music, piano pieces, together with solo and choral songs. His breakthrough as a composer was with the operetta I Marocco, but his most important work is the internationally award-winning Symphony in D minor.
Symphony in D minor
Duration: 30 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp / str.
Swedish Radion Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Ola Karlsson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd-a7yNFnKs
Symphony-Allegro
Duration: 7 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 2.2.0.0 / timp / str
Hägg, Jacob Adolf (1850-1928)
Jakob (Jacob) Adolf Hägg, b. Östergarn, Gotland, 26 (alt. 27) June 1850, was one of the foremost exponents of Swedish Leipzig romanticism and bequeathed a copious output of mainly piano music. He studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Stockholm, between 1865 and 1870, and under Niels W. Gade in Copenhagen (1870−71). For a long time Hägg was cut off from professional music by mental illness, but at the age of 45 he achieved a comeback as musician and composer. He died in Hudiksvall on 1 March 1928.
Nordisk symfoni/Nordic Symphony
Duration: Approx. 15-20 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp / str
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Cecilia Rydinger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9mPHV-yLOo
GSO, Mats Liljefors/Göran W Nilsson
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k550SGEuXlyHSyfoVztNmNhCZ_GoROJGY
Concert Ouverture
Duration: 10 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp / str
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Mats Liljefors/Göran W Nilsson
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k550SGEuXlyHSyfoVztNmNhCZ_GoROJGY
Johnsen, Hinrich Philip (1716/17-1779)
Hinrich (Henrik) Philip Johnsen, b. Germany 1716/17(?), d. Stockholm 12 February 1779. Organist, harpsichordist and composer, came to Sweden with Adolf Fredrik's royal court orchestra in 1743. Organist of Klara Church 1745, court organist 1763. Chief conductor of the French theatre company 1763−71, member of the Order of Freemasons 1757. Founding member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music 1771, archivist 1771−72. Concurrently, he taught music theory at the educational institution of the academy. Although Johnsen wrote orchestral works, incidental music and chamber music, first and foremost he was an organist and teacher.
Symphony no. 1 F Major
Duration: Approx. 5-10 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.0.0 / 2.0.0.0 / cont / str
Symphony no. 2 F Major
Duration: Approx. 5-10 min
Instrumentation: 0.0.0.0 / 2.0.0.0 / cont / str
Concert for two bassoons
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min
Instrumentation: 2 bassoons, str, cont
Kraus, Josef Martin (1756-1792)
Joseph Martin Kraus was born on 20 June 1756 in the German town of Miltenberg am Main, and died in Stockholm on 15 December 1792. Attended secondary school in Mannheim from 1768 to 1772, followed by university studies in Mainz, Erfurt and Göttingen from 1773−76. In 1778 he travelled to Stockholm, where he became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1780, and a year later the second conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra at the Royal Opera. In 1782 Gustav III dispatched him on a four-year tour of Europe. In 1788 he was made director of the educational institution of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music and chief conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra. Kraus is the most prominent figure in Gustavian music and was responsible for seminal works of opera, orchestral music and chamber music.
Symphony in C Minor
Duration: 21 min
Instrumentation: 0.2.0.2 / 4.0.0.0 / str
Maier, Amanda (1853-1894)
Amanda Maier (Maier-Röntgen by marriage) was born on 20 February 1853 in Landskrona and died on 15 July 1894 in Amsterdam, where she lived following her marriage in 1880 to the pianist-composer Julius Röntgen (1854−1932). She studied at the educational institution of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in Stockholm between 1869 and 1872, and in 1872 became Sweden's first-ever female Director of Music. In Leipzig between 1873 and 1876, she studied violin with Engelbert Röntgen and harmony and composition with Carl Reinecke and Ernst Friedrich Richter. She was a violinist and composer, active in Sweden and on the Continent.
Violin Concerto
Duration: 19 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 2.2.0.0 / timp / vn princip. / str
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudia Bonfiglioli, conductor: Sakari Oramo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHc0dkvSYCQ
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Gregory Maytan, conductor: Andreas Stoehr
https://open.spotify.com/album/3lWAK3CyrOHcZzRymkDTBM?uid=3660bbb089964dedbfe8&uri=spotify%3Atrack%3A6Jgwvl3vzdyEwzbXaO3Kjn&highlight=spotify%3Atrack%3A6Jgwvl3vzdyEwzbXaO3Kjn
Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Cecilia Zilliacus, conductor: Kristiina Poska
https://open.spotify.com/album/3lWAK3CyrOHcZzRymkDTBM?uid=3660bbb089964dedbfe8&uri=spotify%3Atrack%3A6Jgwvl3vzdyEwzbXaO3Kjn&highlight=spotify%3Atrack%3A6Jgwvl3vzdyEwzbXaO3Kjn
Munktell, Helena (1852-1919)
Helena Munktell (born in Grycksbo 24 November 1852, died in Stockholm 10 September 1919) trained initially as a singer and pianist, but became primarily a composer. Like some of her Swedish female colleagues, she opted to develop her skills in Paris, where she studied piano for Théodore Ritter, a former pupil of Liszt's, and composition for Émile Durand and Benjamin Godard in the 1880s. In the following decade she took lessons for Vincent d'Indy. She displayed a solid grasp of form and instrumentation in her four symphonic works and was the first Swedish woman to write an opera.
Bränningar/Breaking Waves
Duration: 12 min
Instrumentation: 3*.3*.2.2 / 4.2.3.1 / timp, 3 perc, hp / str, (picc, cor angl)
Gävle Symphony Orchestra, conductor: Tobias Ringborg
https://open.spotify.com/album/7FyUzdTN1C8U1uekkOLsZU?highlight=spotify:track:3kPYL5zekWK5jAyOlRYnRN
Netzel, Laura (1839-1927)
Laura Netzel (née Pistolekors), b. 1 March 1839 in Rantasalmi, Finland, d. 10 February 1927, Stockholm, grew up in Stockholm and was both pianist and composer (from 1874 onwards using the sobriquet 'Lago'). She studied composition under Wilhelm Heintze in Stockholm and Charles-Marie Widor in Paris. For many years she also worked as a concert arranger and orchestral director. Most of her compositions are in late Romantic, chromatic style, with touches of contemporary French music, and her work received coverage not least in French music journals.
Piano Concerto
Duration: Approx. 25-30 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 2.2.2.0 / timp, hp / str
Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Stefan Lindgren
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNlbqcoDDBk&list=OLAK5uy_m9qURVzhu5SIJPZ0vutBTqc3mgfSMEcgc
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Peter Friis-Johansson, conductor: Ryan Bancroft
https://www.konserthuset.se/play/laura-netzels-pianokonsert/
Suite pour violon avec accompagnement d'Orchestre à Cordes, Op 83
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min
Instrumentation: vn princip. / str
Musica Vitae, Malin Broman
https://www.musikisydchannel.se/sv/extrainsatt/nelson-netzel-laura-netzel/
Fantaisie pour orchestre [Fantasi för recitatör och orkester]
Duration: Approx. 5-10 min
Instrumentation: 1.1.1.0 / 0.0.0.0 / hp / str
Solo voice: 1 reciter
Norman, Ludvig (1831-1885)
Fredrik Vilhelm Ludvig Norman was born in Stockholm on 28 August 1831 and died there on 28 March 1885. After studying piano for Vilhelmina Josephson, Theodor Stein and Jan van Boom, and music theory for Adolf Fredrik Lindblad, he continued his education in Leipzig in 1848−52 for, amongst other teachers, Julius Rietz (composition) and Ignaz Moscheles (piano). Back in Stockholm he worked as a composer, conductor, pianist and critic. From 1861 to 1865 he was chief conductor at the Royal Opera. Under his direction, the opera productions maintained a high standard. With his advanced compositional technique and assured sense of form, Norman was one of the most important composers of symphonies and chamber music of his time. He was made a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 1857.
Symphony no. 3
Duration: Approx. 30 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp, 1 perc / str
Concert Ouverture E-flat Major
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp / str
Funeral March
Duration: Approx. 5-10 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.3.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp, 1 perc / str
Ouverture to Antonius and Cleopatra
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min
Instrumentation: 3*.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.1 / timp / str, (picc)
Oulu Symphony Orchestra, conductor:: Johannes Gustavsson
https://open.spotify.com/album/0wLiRiB2mlWElGDAEMPXXc
Peterson-Berger, Wilhelm (1867-1885)
Wilhelm Peterson-Berger was born on 27 February 1867 in Ullånger. After studying at Burträsk elementary school in 1885 he took his school exams in Umeå, which he followed with an organist diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Stockholm in 1889. He then studied for a brief while in Dresden, and spent periods teaching music there and in Umeå. From 1896 to 1930 he was Dagens Nyheter's lead music critic (on leave between 1908 and 1910 and again in 1920/21). From 1930 until his death in Östersund on 3 December 1942 he lived at Sommarhagen on Frösön. Not only was he one of the most popularly appreciated and widely performed Swedish composers of his time, he was also acknowledged as a culture philosopher and feared music critic.
Romance for violin and orchestra
Duration: Approx. 12 min
Instrumentation: 2*.2.3*.2 / 4.0.0.0 / timp, hp / str, (picc, bass clar)
Randel, Andreas (1806-1864)
Andreas (Anders) Randel, born October 6 1806 (Ramdala, Blekinge) and died October 27 1864 (Stockholm). After studying in Paris 1822−28 with Pierre Baillot (violin) and Luigi Cherubini (composition), he was employed at the Royal Court Orchestra in 1828, where he was leader of the orchestra 1861−64. He wrote and arranged incidental music for the Royal Opera, but also appeared as a soloist and chamber musician both in the theatre and around the country. Violin teacher at the educational institution of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music 1844−64. As a composer, he wrote his violin concertos in the French tradition and chamber music influenced by Haydn.
Ouverture to Wermländingarne
Duration: Approx. 5-10 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp / str
Hovkapellet/Royal Orchestra, Stig Westerberg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIfO0LE9Deo
Ouverture in D Major
Duration: 8 min
Instrumentation: 3*.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp /str, (picc)
Violin Concerto no 1 in D Minor
Duration: Approx. 30-40 min
Instrumentation: 1.2.2.2 / 2.0.0.0 / timp / str
Johan Helmich Roman (1694-1758)
Johan Helmich Roman (born 26 October 1694 in Stockholm, died 20 November 1758 on the Haraldsmåla estate in Småland) is one of Sweden's most important composers of all time. He has been called 'the father of Swedish music', and with good reason. As chief conductor of the Royal Court Orchestra, composer, musician and teacher, Roman laid the ground for an increasingly rich music scene in 18th century Sweden. He was also the first Swedish composer to attain international status, and had a prolific musical output covering most of the genres of his time, instrumental and vocal, with the exception of opera and oratorios.
The Drottningholm Music
Duration: Approx. 50-60 min
Suite in D Major (Lilla Drottningholmsmusiken)
Duration: Approx. 20-25 min
Violin Concerto D in Minor
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min
Instrumentation: vn principale, vn I+II, vla, basso
Stenhammar, Wilhelm (1871-1900)
Wilhelm Stenhammar, born 7 February 1871 in Stockholm, was one of Sweden's most important composers at the turn of the 19th century, and one of the finest Swedish pianists of his time. After studying in Stockholm and Berlin (1887−93) he became a prominent figure on the Stockholm music scene before being appointed principal conductor of the newly established Gothenburg Orchestral Society in 1907. Stenhammar died on 20 November 1927 in Jonsered outside Gothenburg.
Symphony no 1 in F Major
Duration: 53 min
Instrumentation: 3.3.3.3 / 6.3.3.1 / timp / str
Symphony no 2 in G minor
Duration: 45 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / timp / str
Lenznacht, opus 30
Duration: 6 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2 / 4.2.3.0 / hp / str
Mixed choir: S.S.A.A.T.T.B.B.
Snöfrid
Duration: Ca. 15-20 min
Instrumentation: 2.2.2.2. / 4.2.3 / timp, hp / str
Soloists: soprano, mezzosoprano, tenor
Mixed choir
Sången. A symphonic cantata, opus 44.
Duration: Approx. 30-40 min
Instrumentation: 3*.3*.4*.4* / 4.3.3.1 / timp, perc, hp, cel. pno / str, (picc, cor angl, bass clar, dbn),
perc: trgl, cymb, bass dr, tamburino, tamburo piccolo
Soloists: soprano, alto [mezzosoprano], tenor, baritone
Mixed choir, S.A.T.B., children's choir
Wesström, Anders (1720/21-1781)
Anders Wesström, born 1720/21 and died 7 May 1781 in Uppsala, succeeded his father as organist and music teacher in his hometown of Hudiksvall at the age of 13. After studying law in Uppsala and earning his Master's degree in 1744, he moved to Stockholm, where he was engaged as a violinist by the Royal Court Orchestra. After a lengthy study trip around the continent, he took to combining his orchestral duties with virtuoso solo performances at home and abroad. He spent his final years in self-inflicted hardship as an organist and music teacher in Gävle. His oeuvre features both orchestral and chamber music.
Sinfonia Prima D Major
Duration: Approx. 10-15 min
Instrumentation: 0.2.0.2 / 2.0.0.0 / cont / str
The second movement consists of a Fagotto [Bassoon] obligato part and strings
Zellbell d y, Ferdinand (1719-1780)
Ferdinand Zellbell the younger was christened on 3 September 1719 in Stockholm, where he also died on 21 April 1780. Composer, organist, harpsichordist, violinist, conductor and teacher. Co-founder of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, and director of its educational institution, and one of the leading music personalities of the Age of Liberty. Son of Ferdinand Zellbell the elder.
Cello Concerto
Duration: 15 min
Instrumentation: Vlc prima, str
Ölander, Per August (1824-1886)
Per August Ölander was born in Linköping on 8 January 1824. He was a composer, violinist, writer, and critic, all on the side of his official career. He was employed as a civil servant by the Swedish Customs Service in 1847 and advanced to the position of controller in 1867. Member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music from 1864. His musical production consists of works in a variety of genres, including a symphony and an opera. Ölander died on 3 August 1886 in Stockholm.
Symphony in E-flat Major
Duration: Approx. 20-25 min
Instrumentation: 1.2.2.2 / 2.0.0.0 / timp / str
Västerås sinfonietta, conductor: Harry Damgaard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe_3K74gleM